Hooks Cap '14 by Beating Missions
CORPUS CHRISTI - Brandon Meredith's seventh-inning grand slam was the difference in Corpus Christi's season-ending 8-4 victory over San Antonio Monday before 5,859 at Whataburger Field.
Meredith's eighth home run occurred in the wake of consecutive walks to Jonathan Meyer, Telvin Nash, Tyler Heineman and Teoscar Hernandez by reliever Adys Portillo (1-4) after the right-hander secured the first two outs. Enter former Hook Michael Dimock, who served up the game-winner on a 1-1 offering.
San Antonio made a stir in the first, but Jordan Jankowski escaped unscathed. Casey McElroy stroked an opening single to right and pilfered second; Hunter Refroe drew a walk and swiped the keystone as well. They were stranded at third and second, respectively, when Jankowski whiffed Robert Kral.
The Hooks posted a singleton their first time up, Delino DeShields, Jr., drawing a lead-off walk, stealing second and progressing home on Colin Moran's liner up the middle.
Singles from Hernandez and Carlos Perdomo (RBI) sandwiched M.P. Cokinos' double to left as the Hooks increased their lead to 2-0 against Bryce Morrow.
Renfroe's lead-off 427-foot home run to left-center on a 90-mph fastball trimmed the Corpus Christi lead to 2-1 during the fourth. Jankowski finished with three hits, a walk and five strikeouts over four complete.
The Missions drew even an inning later off Matt Heidenreich, Lee Orr (lead-off single/stolen base) scoring when McElroy bounced into a double play.
The deadlock was short-lived. Nash's two-out screamer to center plated DeShields, who topped the Hooks fifth with a single and stolen base, his Texas League-leading 54th.
Jake Lemmerman took Juan Minaya deep for a two-run bomb in the Missions seventh as San Antonio pulled ahead 4-3.
Morrow booked eight hits, two walks and six strikeouts in six innings. Mitchell Lambson's 1 1/3-inning stint put him in the winner's circle at 3-1.
Moran completes the season with a 12-game hitting streak.
The Hooks finished 40-30 at Whataburger Field, 33-37 in the second half and 67-73 overall. San Antonio finished 32-38 and 68-72.